OK, Why do we buy Bookshelf? (1 Viewer)

[Jay_Leonard]

Dan,

Evan is correct. The first question is What do you intend to use it for...If you like them than they are perfect.

Physics don't change and you cannot get full range sound out of a small speaker.

That having been said It is likely far more important for you to have a useful room you and whomever else you live with can use than that you got that extra 20 hz on the low end.

I am still trying to compromize, I mounted a set of CSW M80s (large bookshelves) transversly on brackets of my own design and use a Sub. in an attempt to get the best of both worlds. Again If you do not hear the difference than do not spend the money cuz the only people that will be impressed are the salesmen you buy them from.

J

 

[Sebastien David]

Evan S.,

"I get confused by people who buy full range speakers and pair them with subwoofer (for music). I can see why they would do it for movies. However, buying a tower that hits down to 30htz and then adding a subwoofer for music is akin to someone buying a flagship reciever and then pairing it with an external amplifier. You are already paying for the amplification, why the added expense? Again, not knocking some of those who do this...but it's not in my nature."

I disagree. In both situations, you are adding power reserves to your system to free up some of the existing power. A sub is better at reproducing the very low frequencies than towers. Even then, towers give you that "full" sound or "presence" that bookshelves can't, and they seem to play with more ease. Adding a sub, you free them from having to reproduce very low frequencies they weren't designed to reproduce, and therefore they soudn even better.

Likewise, a separate amplifier, provided it's of good quality and power, will outperform a receiver for amplification purposes, even the flagships. The receiver handles the pre/pro functions and maybe some of the power (for the rears, for example), and because a lot of its power is freed up, it will sound better, not mentioning the fact that you'll have a lot less interference problems as well when separating the different stages of pre/pro/amplification. Of course, there are also other advantages to using a flagship with your external amps, such as additional functions and capabilities, inputs and outputs, etc...

 

[Mark Austin]

I like bookshelf speakers because for the same dollar you are getting a much better speaker. Even though right now I own floorstanders.

 

[John Garcia]

I had floorstanders. I have found that I prefer bookshelf speakers in my current setup. I don't like the look/presence of most floorstanders. If I were building a dedicated 2ch system though, I would go with floorstanders, no sub.

 

[Mark Tranchant]

The only place for my speakers is on a bookshelf. Bookshelf speakers seemed like the best choice...
Curious about the WAF thing. Do any women actually actively participate in or even appreciate "our" hobby, except for enjoying a good movie well reproduced? A casual browse here certainly suggests not.

 

[Fallo]

Mark, in "The Spot", they have a forum specially for the ladies and you will be surprised at the HT's these ladies had assembled...

 

[BryanZ]

The answer is very simple. The law of economics states that a floorstanding speaker that does 20Hz - 20Kz well across all frequencies (+ or - 3dbs) must cost around $4K, give or take $1K, if not more. A pair of bookshelf speakers, such as the nOrh 4.0s, and a good sub, such as the Adire Audio Rava, will run you $800 and cover that entire range and sound better than a comparable $800 pair of floorstanders.

 

[chung_sotheby]

The answer is very simple. The law of economics states that a floorstanding speaker that does 20Hz - 20Kz well across all frequencies (+ or - 3dbs) must cost around $4K, give or take $1K, if not more

Wow, Bryan, this is an economic discovery of near Nashian proportions! Just kidding, but I do agree that for the quality of full spectrum sound, you would have to spend at least twice as much for floorstanders as compared to a good set of bookshelves and a great sub. As for myself, I have a set of bookshelves that go down to 30 hz and are 11x11x14, so I have the best of both worlds. I can listen to most straignt 2 channel music (except for pipe organs and Miami rap) and I can still place these puppies anywhere.

 

[Philip Hamm]

(1) I listened to floor standers and bookshelves in my price range and the bookshelves mopped the floor with the floorstanders - at the same price range.

 

[chung_sotheby]

(1) I listened to floor standers and bookshelves in my price range and the bookshelves mopped the floor with the booskelves.

Phillip, did you mean that the bookshelves mopped the floor with the floorstanders, or vice versa?

 

[Arron H]

Phillip,
Do you feel that bass resonance problems with towers would still exist with all speakers set to small? Brian Florian's post (about the sixth one down on this thread) indicates that 40Hz extension below the crossover with all speakers set to small is a good thing whether or not the speaker is a tower or a bookshelf. Towers would seem to have an advantage in extension most of the time. Of course, this is not always true and there are bookshelves that can get preety low.
Brian Florian post

 

[Kimmo Jaskari]

Actually, a sub is "required" even with floorstanders. A sub, a proper sub that is, should extend to 20hz or below just to be on the safe side, and the floorstanders that can do that are few and far between.

Then again, so are the subs.

Personally I use standmounters and am fairly happy with them, coupled with a good sub. I don't really see the need for floorstanders especially for HT, whereas for pure stereo music listening floorstanders will have an edge due to greater bass capabilities. Yes, I'm generalizing, but in the vast majority of cases this is true.

 

[BobJ]

I enjoy seeing the looks on people's faces when they hear sublime music coming from a 8x8x12 box

Same here. One of my setups uses bookshelves and I love to hear people say "wow what incredible sound".
Also the WAF. At least I get to position the gear and then have the room decorated around it. She's also developing picky eyes and now goes with me to look at gear.